Method of hot gluing



March 29, 1932.

METHOD OF HOT GLUING Filed April .25, 1950 Fiqfi- I. F. LAUCKS ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet l /0 w/llfoWiT? INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 1932. I. F. LAUCKS ET AL 1,351,709

I METHOD OF HOT GLUING I Filed April 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a a k i Q6 r ENTOR Patented Mar. 29 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrl'cs IRVING I. LAUCKS AND CHARLES N. CONE, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AN THEODORE W. BIKE, OF NEW WESTMINSTER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNOBS TO I. F. LAUCKS, INC., OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON METHOD OF HOT GLUING Application filed April 25,

This invention relates to the joining or uniting of pieces or plies and especially where a wood surface is concerned, and more particularly with employment of heat. It is among the objects of the invention to pro vide an improved method of simplified and direct joining or uniting, making possible a continuous type of operation where desired. 7

To the aecom lishment of the fore oin 2: 2D

and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the features hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, suchbcing indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

Certain modes of procedure whereby the invention may be performed are exemplified in the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus for heating one edge of a block and for pressing blocks together;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view of a form of an apparatus for moistening the edge of a block;

Fig. -l is a side view of an apparatus for disposing powdered adhesive upon the edge of a block;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing two, blocks being pressed;

Fig. 6 shows aheating means for blocks;

7 shows several heated blocks being pressed with several coated blocks;

Fig. 8 is an end view of an apparatus for forming plywood;

Fig. 9 is a side-view thereof; and

' Fig. is a side view of an apparatus in- -oil, phenols, naphthols, etc.

1930. Serial No. 447,428.

eluding means for holding or pressing assembled members.

In gluing by the present method, the formation of the bond is accomplished by setting the adhesive by heat and with pressure; however the heat is applied in a manner not complicating the pressing procedure. The adhesive base may be applied to at least one of the surfaces to be joined, and such heat as is to be employed is stored or provided before the pressing, by initially heating at least one of the pieces concerned. Such heating may be applied in any convenient manner, as by conduction, for instance from a heating member contacting with a piece to be glued, or by radiation directly upon one or more of the surfaces concerned.

Adhesive suitable are more particularly materials, settable by heat, as for instance, casein, blood, vegetable protein, proteinous seed flours such as soya bean flours, hemp, castor, cottonseed, peanut, sesame, perilla,

linseed, rape seed copra, also in some cases 7 animal glue, starch, dextrine, etc. Preferably, the adhesive base is supplied in nondispersed form or in discrete particle form. In the use of many of the commonly employed adhesives, including those exemplified, a.

plasticizing agent, such for example, as a softening fluid is required to develop adhesion. It is to be understood, however, that the invention in its broader aspects, contemplates the use of heat-settable adhesives of a variety of types. The ordinary procedure with adhesives of the type requiring the presence of a placticizing agent is to utilize water, although in some instances other fluids or p substances becoming fluid with heat may be employed, such as alcohol, acetone, v; creosote connection reference is made to the copending application of Theodore Williams Dike,

Serial No. 594,396, filed February 20,, 1932. p

The softening liquid may be provided before or after the adhesive base, or in some instances along with it as absorbed moisture or as a suspending menstruum.

In the common methods of gluing where a relatively large excess of water is introduced with the glue, corresponding increases in the In the latter time factor are required for eliminatingsuch extra water. In the preferred practice of the present invention, however, the fluid may be kept down to softening requirements, and the necessity of eliminating large surpluses is obviated. With moist surfaces, as for in; stance sheets as coming from a veneer cutting machindsufiicient moisture may be already present and none need be added. lVith dry materials, such for instance as dried wood blocks or plies, moisture may be added as indicated. Because small amounts of fluid are used, neither time nor heat is wasted in eliminating useless surplus, and a bondis obtained quickly.

As indicated, whereas in the old hot-press method of gluing it was necessary to transmit the heat through the material and to the glue line, in the present procedure the heat is applied in situ. Conveniently this may be done by preliminarily heating one or more of the pieces to be glued, and the heat may be thus temporarily stored therein. The heat may be applied by contact of a heating mem her or by a radiating source. A

For example, in gluing blocks, the following procedure may be used. Block number sired extent.

1 or an equivalent series of short blocks with the same width end to end, is placed against a stop 10 (Fig. 1) with its face to be joined perpendicular to a table 11. A heating member 12 is brought into contact with it for a time to store a suitable amount of heat in the face to be joined. Meantime the block number 2 has one of its faces moistened as by drawing it over a roll 13, a portion of the surface of which extends into a water bath 14, as indicated in Fig. 3, and spread with a dry powdered adhesive base, as by being placedunder a shaking screen 15 carrying particles of dry adhesives 16 so that, when the screen'is shaken, falling particles ofthe adhesive 17 will come to rest on the surface of the face. v The coated face of number 2 is then pressed against the hot face of number 1. The pressing means may be a hot plate such as 12 so that the opposite face of number 2 is simultaneously heated. Such a step is indicated in Fig. 5, the member 12 being pressed against the block 2 upon the application of pressure to a plunger 18 by any suitable means. Block number 3 may be similarly moistened and supplied with adhesive base and then presented to the hot face of number 2, and so on, building up to any de- As another example: Block number 1 may be heated in a heating chamber 19 (Fig. 6). Block number 2 is moistened on both of its surfaces to be joined and the adhesive base is dusted on, as by contacting first one face and then the opposite face with a roller, such to receive falling particles as from a screen 15, for example. Block number 3 is heated the same as number 1. Block number 4 is treated the same as number 2, and so on. These can be quickly assembled thus, as on a table 20 (Fig. 7), for example, and they require holding for only a relatively short time until the joint is set.

As another example: In laying up a laminated structure involving a wood layer, for instance veneer or plywood, to form a threeply panel, the core for instance may be heated as in a heating chamber 21. The reverse side of each face member is moistened and the adhesivein discrete particle form is supplied, as for example, by means such as illustrated in copending application of Theodore Williams Dike, one of the applicants herein, Serial -No. 518,944., filed February 28, 1931, one

such means being shown in Fig. 8 wherein face plies are passed on a conveyor 22 under an atomizing means 23 and a shaking screen 24. The plies are assembled as indicated in Fig. 8, one coated ply being disposed beneath .the hot core and the other reversed and hesive base, and the heat may be carried by the face layers.

On account of the relatively short time interval required, the holding or pressing may be accomplished by a continuous through a series of close-set press rolls or pressing-belts, which serve at the same time to compress and carry forward to point of delivery. An'arrangement embodying press rolls 26 and also a pressing belt 27 is shown in Fig. 10. As will be understood, blocks assembled, pressed and heated on a table 28 in a manner such as before indicated or in, any other suitable manner may be held therein. Similarly, assembled panels may be run between such continuously moving apparatus. I l

v An addition agent may also be supplied tion on the adhesive and at the same time in-- troducing moisture as water of crystallization is also contemplated, as for instance sodium phosphate and the like. as 13, for example, and presenting both faces.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being feed ma e as regards the details described, prol vided the features stated in any of the fol-- lowing claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

It is to be understood that by the term setting and the like in the appended claims is meant producing a permanent alteration in the character of the adhesive by heat or by heat with pressure which renders the adhesive materially less soluble by heat or by other media than it was before it was subjected to the action of heat.

1929; Serial No. 454,832, filed May 22, 1930;

Serial-No. 455,977, filed May 26, 1930; Serial No: 455,978, filed May 26. 1930; Serial No. 456,813, filed May28, 1930; Serial No. 456,- 814, filed May 28, 1930; Serial No. 518,944, filed February28, 1931, referred to above; and Serial No. 538,983, filed May 21, 1931; and Serial No. 565,930, filed September 29,

. 1931, and Serial No. 594,396, filed February 20, 1932, referred to above.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A method of gluing, comprising setting the adhesive by heat and pressure, the heat for such setting having been stored in at least one of the members joined previous to the application of pressure.

2. A method of gluing, comprising providing heat for setting the adhesive by storing such heat in a surface to be joined, supplying an-adhesive, assembling, applying pressure, with the adhesive in the presence of a fluid in amount not exceeding softening requirements therefor, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

3. A method of gluing, comprising storing heat in a piece to be united, supplying an ad hesive base in discrete particle form, assembling, applying pressure, with the adhesive in the presence of a plasticizing agent, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

4. A method of gluing, comprising storing heat in a surface to be joined, supplying an adhesive base in discrete particle form and an adhesive-softening fluid, assembling, applying pressure, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat. r

5. A method of gluing, comprising storing heat in a piece to be joined, supplying a softening fluid and an adhesive to anotherpiece, assembling, applying pressure, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

6. A method of gluing, comprising storing heat in a piece to be joined, supplying a softening fluid and'an adhesive to another piece, assembling, applying pressure with the adhesive, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat, said fluid being supplied in an amount not exceeding the softening requirements of the adhesive.

, 7. A method of gluing, comprising storing heat in a piece to be joined, supplying an adhesive base in discrete particle form to another piece, assembling, applying pressure,

and setting the adhesive vby the stored heat.

8. A method of forming composite bodies, comprising storing heat in a piece to be joined, supplying an adhesive to another piece, forwarding the second piece against the first )iece and thereby applying pressure, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

9. A method of forming composite bodies, comprising storing heat in a piece to be joined,

supplying an adhesive in powdered form to another piece, forwardin the secondpiece against the first piece an thereby applying pressure, with the adhesive in the presence of a fluid in amount not exceeding softening requirements therefor, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

10. A method of forming composite bodies, comprising storing heat in a piece to be oined, supplying to another piece an adhesive base in powdered form, forwarding the second piece against the first and thereby applying pressure, with the adhesive in the presence of a softening fluid, and setting the'adhesive by the stored heat.

11. A method of forming composite bodies consisting of more than two members, which comprises storing heat in the first member, supplying an adhesive, pressing the second member against the first, storing heat in the second member, supplying an adhesive and successively adding other members to form a series, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat, the pressure applied to the later assembled members being transmitted to the earlier assembled members.

12. A method of forming composite bodies I consisting of more than two members, which comprises storing heat inthe first member, applying an adhesive to a second member, pressing the second member against the first, storing heat in the second member, applying an adhesive to a third member, pressing said third member against the second member and successively adding other such members,- and setting the adhesive by the stored heat, the pressure applied to the later assembled members being transmitted to the earlier assembled members.

13. A continuous method of gluing, which comprises supplying heat to at least one of the pieces to be joined, supplying an adhesive softening fluid and a heat-settable adhesive base to another piece, assembling, and while the adhesion develops, progressing the assem- 1o Y supplying heat to at least one of the pleces blage through a pressing zone, and setting the adhesive by the stored-heat.

14. A continuous method of gluing, which comprises supplying heat to at least 'one of the ieces to be joined, supplying. a heatsettable adhesive base, assembling, and while the adhesion develops, progressing the assemblage through a pressing zone, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat.

15. A method of gluing, which comprises to be joined and supplying a heat-settable .adhesive to at least one of the pieces to be joined,

assembling, a d subjecting the assemblage to pressure befo e the stored heat has been materiallydissipated, whereby the setting of the adhesive occurs under the influence of stored heat.

16. A method of gluing which comprises applying heat to one of the surfaces to be joined, supplying an adhesive to another surface, assembling and subjecting the assemblage to pressure before the stored heat has been materially dissipated, and setting the adhesive by the stored heat 17. A method of forming composite bodies consisting of more than two members, which comprises storing heat in a surface of a first .member, applying an adhesive to a surface of a second member, pressing the coated surface of the second member against the hot surface of the first member, storing heat in the opposite surface of the second member, applying an adhesive to a surface of a'third member, pressing the coated surface of the third member against the hot surface of the second member, storing heat in the opposite surface of the third member, and successively and similarly incorporating additional memers.

' 18 A method of forming composite bodies consisting of more than two members, which comprises storing heat in a surface of afirst member, applying an adhesive to a surface of a second member, pressing the coated surface of the second member against the hot surface of the first member and simultaneously storing heat in the opposite surface of the second member, applying an adhesive to a surface of a'third member, pressing thecoated surface of the third member agalnst the hot surface of the second memberand simultaneously storing heat in the opposite surface of the third member, and successively and similarly incorporating additio hal members.

signatures.

IRVING F. LAUCKSL. CHARLES N. CONE. 4

THEODORE w DIKE.

In testimony whereof we hereto aflix our 5 

